Ever since they pretty much invented the netbook, Asus has slapped the Eee brand on an ever expanding line of ultra compact computers using the low power-sipping Atom chipset. Most of these products are a curiosity at best, and certainly, the original Asus Eee Keyboard fit the bill: it was essentially a computer in a keyboard, but the Atom N270 innards look pretty anemic these days, and most people would rather tote around a netbook as a self-contained portable system than a keyboard.

Still, this Chinese knock-off of the Eee Keyboard has piqued my interest: the Cross PC U150. It’s essentially the same product as the Eee Keyboard, with one exception: it packs NVIDIA Ion graphics, which means it can deliver 720p high-definition video.

That’s still not all that useful for most people, but it did make me realize that there is a market for this sort of computer: home theater users. As an HTPC, the Cross PC U150 would be a perfect solution for most living-room streamers and surfers, except for one huge omission: wireless HD out.

Unfortunately, wireless HD out is extremely expensive, and there’s no set standard, but when the market settles itself, I imagine lap-based HTPCs will become very popular indeed. In the meantime, we can look at products like the Cross PC U150 and exercise our imaginations about what, in a couple years time, will very likely be.